1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cases and cabinets for storing and displaying documents and other objects, especially outdoors. The invention incorporates features particularly suitable for exterior mounting of the case, for providing weather protection, and for accepting insertion and storage of diverse articles in the case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is frequently necessary to display or store documents on diverse outdoor sites, such as construction sites, campsites or swimming pool complexes. By their very nature, these sites are ill suited to accommodate paper documents and small personal articles which may be necessary or desirable to have at hand, many of which are required by municipal authorities, maintenance personnel or others, to be prominently displayed on site.
The present invention improves upon prior art display cases, including the present inventor's prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,012,786, issued on Jan. 11, 2000; 5,664,851, issued on Sep. 9, 1997; 5,623,778, issued on Apr. 29, 1997; and 4,821,440, issued on Apr. 18, 1989. Display of permits and other documents is the principal function of these devices. Each describes a durable case having a clear or transparent hinged cover and an internal tack board for securing paper documents by tacks, staples, or other fasteners in a visible condition. The device is intended primarily for convenient, protected display of documents which are generally required to be visible and accessible to passers by.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,900, issued to Gene Nunn on Sep. 17, 1991, discloses a wall mounted storage cabinet for the storage of items such as grinder plates and rotary knife blades as are used in a butcher shop. The wall mounted box has a plurality of hanging devices for storing the plates and knives, while a hinged door has a window allowing visual access to the hinging objects. A second chamber in the wall mounted box, having a separate hinged door for separately storing dirty plates and knives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,447, issued to Gloria Ellwod, et al., on Dec. 8, 1981, discloses a wall mounted box having an ornamented, hinged door enclosing the entire wall mounted box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,590, issued to Harold Jackson on Jul. 6, 1982, discloses a case having backing member, over which a message sheet may be placed, having a clear, hinged cover to protect the displayed message sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,212, issued to Darlene M. McGoldrick on Jun. 24, 1980, describes a display case having a clear or transparent door and a mounting board disposed within the base portion of the display case. The mounting board has a plurality of nails or the like from which jewelry may be suspended. These features are similar to some of those of the present invention. However, McGoldrick is silent regarding molded construction as seen in the novel display case, as well as regarding the many unique features of the novel display case.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,355, issued to Adeiard L. Aubin, Jr., on May 2, 1972, discloses a wall mounted chalkboard, projection screen and information display apparatus. A wall mounted box contains a tack surface on its rear, interior surface, a pull down projection screen, and storage for sundry items, such as erasers. Hinged doors closing the wall mounted box hold a pair of chalk boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,537,899, issued to Clendenon L. Stubbs on May 12, 1925, discloses holder for displaying a document such as a vehicle registration card. A box, having a spring therein, is mounted to the body of a vehicle. The spring constrains a document against the interior, rear wall of the box, hidden from view, while springs within a hinged door having a transparent panel, constrain a document to be displayed against the transparent panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,453,658, issued to George B. Clough on May 1, 1923, discloses a display board for gasoline prices, wherein a hinged cover with a transparent window overlays a mounted box containing tilt out panels, each panel adapted to receive a single document, such as a single digit of a price. A separate window in the cover panel has a channel mounted on the interior for displaying a single line message.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,635, issued to Talbert A. Draper on Mar. 8, 1921, discloses a card holder for a freight car, comprising a mounted box having a hinged door. A pocket within the box holds a document against the rear, interior wall of the box. The door contains a transparent panel for displaying a portion of the document contained within the box, plus a plurality of additional transparent panels, each having a spring clip which holds a document, such as a car number, against the interior of the panel. A protruding lip at the top of the mounted box provides an overhang to prevent water from entering the top of the closed box.
U.S. Pat. No. 454,769, issued to William E. Roberts on Jun. 23, 1891, discloses an advertising device. A box has a ribbed back board into which tabs of individual letters may be inserted for spelling out a message. A clear paneled door overlays the box to prevent tampering with the message.
French Patent Number 2,270,654, dated Dec. 5, 1975, shows a display case having a transparent cover and a rear surface configured to cooperate with a supporting post or the like. However, the rear surface does not accommodate different orientations of the post relative to the display cabinet, as provided in the present invention.
German Patent Number 1,018,717, issued on Oct. 31, 1957, discloses a box, having a transparent cover, in which a document may be constrained by a wire bale hinged at the top of the box such that it runs down the two sides of the box and is clipped into position at the bottom of the box.
In summary, the prior art shows some of the features of the present invention, but these features vary from corresponding features in the present invention. Furthermore, construction of a each case cited tends to be of a durable nature while the present invention's design is more adapted to temporary use, and disposibility of the case, which is not shown in the prior art.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.